Stress-strain analysis of pipelines laid in permafrost

Abstract

Increasing reliability of pipelines becomes a real challenge at all stages: design, construction and operation of pipeline systems. It is very important to determine the behaviour of the constructed pipeline under the operational and environmental loads using the design model in accordance with that one adopted in the rules and regulations. This article presents the simulation of pipeline in permafrost. The evaluation of the stress-strain state is given herein and the areas of the stress concentration are detected with the account for different loads occurred during the pipeline operation. Information obtained from the assessment of the stress-strain state of the pipeline allows determining sections in pre-emergency state (even before damages) and take all the necessary measures for eliminating them, thus increasing the pipeline system reliability. It is shown that the most critical pipeline cross-section is observed at the point of transition from one environment to another. The maximum strains decrease the level of the pipeline reliability. The finite element model is presented to determine the pipeline sections in pre-emergency state.